J&K: 400 border residents evacuated after Pakistani firing

Kathua, Oct 22: Bullet proof vehicles were pressed into service overnight to evacuate over 400 people rattled by the sound of Pakistani mortar bombing and firing in border hamlets.

Border dwellers in Bobiya and adjoining hamlets in Hiranagar sector in Kathua district have been experiencing sleepless nights due to the intensified shelling and firing by Pakistani Rangers on October-20 and 21.

Police armed with bullet proof vehicles criss crossed the shell-hit hamlets particularly Bobiya last night carrying loads of scared villagers. They were ferried to the camps setup by the district administration at government higher secondary school in Hiranagar and another school at Chhan Khatrian.

"Due to heavy firing and shelling for two days and the fear psychosis among the border residents, we pressed into service bullet proof vehicles to evacuate them", Deputy Commissioner Kathua, Ramesh Kumar told PTI.

Over 400 people from IB hamlets were evacuated and shifted to the safer areas in camps set up by the government, the DC said. "We have asked the authorities to ensure safety of the people as firing and shelling exchanges have increased.

They were accommodated in Government Higher Secondary school, Hiranagar while 145 people of Londi and Rajgrain Brahamana were lodged in Government Middle School, Chhan Khatrian. Some families had left for the houses of their relatives, DC said.

"We were very terrorised this time due to heavy shelling and firing by Pakistan", Manak Chand of Bobiya said at camp here. 70-year-old Chand said, "The windows of our houses were shaking with the sound of mortar bombs and firing of heavy weapons.

It as unbearable to stay in home after being witness to the two days of firing. Like him, Sukho Devi migrated from the hamlet several times and this is another exodus from her border home.

"We have fled homes several times in the past few decades and before that in wars.It is now a routine for us as border people live in the jaws of deaths.You never know what is going to happen next moment," she adds.